FOAL IMPRINT TRAINING

This training requires catching the foal as close to the time of birth as
possible. The foal is taught to accept the human without fear, and is taught to accept all
forms of handling from ears to hooves - even girth pressure. This is all done in the first
couple of hours after birth. The followup training takes approximately ten to fourteen
days and includes halter breaking and usually being led on a trail ride and through
obstacles.

Imprint training offers a singular opportunity to permanently mold a horse's
personality. For a short time, the newborn foal is programmed to imprint stimuli. The
right procedures at the right time yield dramatic results. There is no time a
horse will learn faster.

Advantages

Imprint training can help ease handling, enhance later training efforts
and reduce injuries. It shapes behavior in the following ways:

Bonding with the imprint trainer. Immediately postpartum, the foal bonds
simultaneously with its dam and with one or more persons handling it. Such foals see
humans, not as predators, but as fellow horses.

Submission. but nor fear. During imprint training, the foal cannot
escape (its natural method of survival) exposure to frightening stimuli. As a result, it
becomes dependent and submissive in its attitude. The foal sees the trainer as a dominant
horse or heard leader. Psychologically, this is the ideal relationship between horse and
human. We must have submissiveness in a horse if he is to work for us. But, the
submissiveness should be created not by fear (a predatory role) but by dependence (a
dominant leader role).

Desensitization to most sensory stimuli (visual. auditory. tactile. and
olfactory!. Most parts of the body, including all body openings, are desensitized. Rapid,
repetitious stimuli (flooding) are used until the foal is habituated, i.e. permanently
nonresponsive to those stimuli. Loud noises, fluttering objects or being touched anywhere
on the body will thereafter be calmly tolerated.

Sensitazion to performance related stimuli. Specifically, the foal can
tee taught to respond (rather than habituated, to head and flank pressure. The
responsiveness allows control over the fore and hindquarters. The foal will lead where
pulled, and will move its hind end laterally in response to the touch of a finger in the
flank region. This is best taught on the day after birth, after the foal is on its feet.

Some believe that early bonding between the foal and humans will produce
a "pet" foal. They believe that early foal human bonding will produce a spoiled
horse, indifferent to stimuli, which will lack the flightiness "necessary" to
race or perform well. This is nonsense. Imprint training, properly performed, will enhance
a horse's relationship with humans. It will teach it "good manners" and increase
its responsiveness to stimuli, which will later improve its performance.

The only "disadvantage" of imprint training is that, since it
is best started immediately post partum, the mare must be brought in for foaling. This is
actually desirable, because it allows rapid identification of any obstetrical problems. It
also requires that the Broodmare be gentle and well mannered. If this is not the case, the
time to change it is before the mare foals, or, better, before she is bred. One should not
expect to turn out docile, well-mannered foals if one doesn't have a well-mannered mare.
Yet, some people seem to take pride in owning untrained, ill-mannered broodmares. To me,
poor manners indicate ownership by an inept horseman.Imprint training the newborn foalR.M.
Miller, DVM

Also the value of the foal increases immensely along with the safety
factors involved with handling and doctoring the animal.

We are located in Buffalo Texas about halfway
between Dallas and Houston on IH-45. We love what we do and would enjoy training your
horses.